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〃I　still　believe　him　a　gentleman！〃　she　cried；　and　swept　tearfully　from　the　room。



CHAPTER　XXXV

While　his　late　worshippers　were　trampling　his　memory　in　the　mire；　the　Baron　von　Blitzenberg；　deserted　and　dejected；　his　face　still　buried　in　his　hands；　endured　the　slow　passage　of　the　doleful　afternoon。　　Unlike　the　prisoner　at　The　Lash；　who；　by　a　coincidence　that　happily　illustrates　the　dispensations　of　Providence；　was　undergoing　at　the　same　moment　an　identical　ordeal；　the　Baron　had　no　optimistic；　whimsical　philosophy　to　fall　back　upon。　　Instead；　he　had　a　most　tender　sense　of　personal　dignity　that　had　been　egregiously　outraged　and　also　a　wife。　　Indeed；　the　thought　of　Alicia　and　of　Alicia's　parent　was　alone　enough　to　keep　his　head　bowed　down。

〃Ach；　zey　most　not　know；〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　shall　give　moch　moneyhondreds　of　poundnot　to　let　zem　find　out。　　Oh；　what　for　fool　have　I　been！〃

So　deeply　was　he　plunged　in　these　sorrowful　meditations；　and　so　constantly　were　they　concerned　with　the　two　ladies　whose　feelings　he　wished　to　spare；　that　when　a　hum　of　voices　reached　his　ear；　one　of　them　strangely　even　ominouslyfamiliar；　he　only　thought　at　first　that　his　imagination　had　grown　morbidly　vivid。　　To　dispel　the　unpleasant　fancies　suggested　by　this　imagined　voice；　he　raised　his　head；　and　then　the　next　instant　bounded　from　his　chair。

〃Mein　Gott！〃　he　muttered；　〃it　is　she。〃

Too　thunderstruck　to　move；　he　saw　his　prison　door　open；　and　there；　behold！　stood　the　Countess　of　Grillyer；　a　terrible　look　upon　her　high…born　features；　a　Darius　at　either　shoulder。　　In　silence　they　surveyed　one　another；　and　it　was　Mr。　Maddison　who　spoke　first。

〃Guess　this　is　a　friend　of　yours；〃　he　observed。

One　thought　and　one　only　filled　the　prisoner's　mind　she　must　leave　him；　and　immediately。

〃No；　no；　I　do　not　know　her！〃　he　cried。

〃You　do　not　know　me？〃　repeated　the　Countess　in　a　voice　rich　in　promise。

〃Certainly　I　do　not。〃

〃She　knows　you　all　right；〃　said　the　millionaire。

〃Says　she　does；〃　put　in　Ri　in　a　lower　voice；　〃but　I　wouldn't　lay　much　money　on　her　word　either。〃

〃Rudolph！　　You　pretend　you　do　not　know　me？〃　cried　the　Countess　between　wrath　and　bewilderment。

〃I　never　did　ever　see　sochlike　a　voman　before；〃　reiterated　the　Baron。

〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　ma'am？〃　inquired　Mr。　Maddison。

〃I　sayI　blush　to　saythat　this　wretched　young　man　is　my　son…in…law；〃　declared　the　Countess。

As　she　had　come　to　the　house　inquiring　merely　for　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　and　been　conducted　straight　to　the　prisoner's　cell；　the　stupefying　effect　of　this　announcement　may　readily　be　conceived。

〃What！〃　ejaculated　the　Dariuses。

〃It　is　not　true！　　She　is　mad！　　Take　her　avay；　please！〃　shouted　the　Baron；　now　desperate　in　his　resolution　to　say　or　do　anything；　so　long　as　he　got　rid　of　his　formidable　relative。

The　Countess　staggered　back。

〃Is　he　demented？〃　she　inquired。

〃Say；　ma'am；〃　put　in　Ri；　〃are　you　the　mother　of　Miss　Constance　Herringay？〃

〃Of？　　I　am　Lady　Grillyer！〃

〃See　here；　my　good　lady；　that's　going　a　little　too　far；〃　said　the　millionaire　not　unkindly。　　〃This　friend　of　yours　here　first　calls　himself　Lord　Tulliwuddle；　and　then　the　Baron　von　something　or　other。　　Well；　now；　that's　two　of　the　aristocracy　in　this　under…　sized　apartment　already。　　There's　hardly　room　for　a　thirdsee？　　Can't　you　be　plain　Mrs。　Smith　for　a　change？〃

The　Countess　tottered。

〃Fellow！〃　she　said　in　a　faint　voice；　〃II　do　not　understand　you。〃

〃Thought　that　would　fetch　her　down；〃　commented　Ri。

〃Lead　her　back　to　ze　train　and　make　her　go　to　London！〃　pleaded　the　Baron　earnestly。

〃You　stick　to　it；　you　don't　know　her？〃　asked　Mr。　Maddison　shrewdly。

〃No；　no；　I　do　not！〃

〃Is　her　name　Lady　Grillyer？〃

〃Not　more　zan　it　is　mine！〃

〃Rudolph！〃　gasped　the　Countess　inarticulately。　〃He　ishe　WAS　my　son！〃

〃Stoff　and　nonsense！〃　roared　the　Baron。　　〃Remove　her！I　am　tired。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Maddison；　〃I　guess　I　don't　much　believe　either　of　you；　but　whether　you　know　each　other　or　not；　you　make　such　a　remarkably　fine　couple　that　I　reckon　you'd　better　get　acquainted　now。　　Come；　Ri。〃

And　before　either　Countess　or　Baron　could　interpose；　their　captors　had　slipped　out；　the　key　was　turned；　and　they　were　left　to　the　dual　enjoyment　of　the　antique　apartment。

〃Teufel！〃　shouted　the　Baron；　kicking　the　door　frantically。　　〃Open　him；　open　him！　　I　vill　pay　you　a　hondred　pound！　　Goddam！　　Open！〃

But　only　the　gasps　of　the　Countess　answered　him。

It　is　generally　conceded　that　if　you　want　to　see　the　full　depths　of　brutality　latent　in　man；　you　must　thoroughly　frighten　him　first。　　This　condition　the　Countess　of　Grillyer　had　exactly　succeeded　in　fulfilling；　with　the　consequence　that　the　Baron；　hitherto　the　most　complacent　and　amiable　of　sons…in…law；　seemed　ambitious　of　rivalling　the　Turk。　　When　he　perceived　that　no　answer　to　his　appeals　was　forthcoming；　dark　despair　for　a　moment　overcame　him。　　Then　the　fiendishly　ingenious　idea　struck　himmight　not　a　woman's　screams　accomplish　what　his　own　lungs　were　unable　to　effect？　　Turning　an　inflamed　and　frowning　countenance　upon　the　lady　who　had　intrusted　her　daughter's　happiness　to　his　hands；　he　addressed　her　in　a　deep　hissing　voice

〃Shcream；　shcream；　voman！　　Shcream　loudly；　or　I　vill　knock　you！〃

But　the　Countess　was　made　of　stern　stuff。　　Outraged　and　frightened　though　she　was；　she　yet　retorted　huskily

〃I　will　not　scream；　Rudolph！　　II　demand　an　explanation　first！〃

Executing　a　step　of　the　sword…dance　within　a　yard　of　her；　he　reiterated

〃Shcream　so　zat　zey　may　come　back！〃

She　blinked；　but　held　her　ground。

〃I　insist　upon　knowing　what　you　mean；　Rudolph！　　I　insist　upon　your　telling　me！　　What　are　you　doing　here　in　that　preposterous　kilt？〃

The　Baron's　wits　brightened　with　the　acuteness　of　the　emergency。

〃Ha！〃　he　cried；　〃I　vill　take　my　kilt　offtake　him　off　before　your　eyes　this　instant　if　you　do　not　shcream！〃

But　she　merely　closed　her　eyes。

〃If　you　dare！　　If　you　dare；　Rudolph；　I　shall　inform　your　Emperor！　　And　I　will　not　look！　　I　cannot　see　you！〃

Whether　in　deference　to　imperial　prejudices；　or　because　a　kiltless　man　would　be　thrown　away　upon　a　lady　who　refused　to　look　at　him；　the　Baron　regretfully　desisted　from　this　project。　　At　his　wits'　end；　he　besought　her

〃Make　zem　take　you　avay；　so　zat　you　vill　be　safe　from　my　rage！　　I　do　not　trost　myself　mit　you。　　I　am　so　violent　as　a　bull！　　Better　zat　you　should　go；　far　betterdo　you　not　see？〃

〃No；　Rudolph；　no！〃　replied　the　adamant　lady。　　〃I　have　come　to　guard　you　against　your　own　abandoned　nature；　and　I　shall　only　leave　this　room　when　you　do！〃

She　sat　down　and　faced　him；　palpitating；　but　immovable；　and　against　such　obstinacy　the　unhappy　Rudolph　gave　up　the　contest　in　despair。

〃But　I　shall　not　talk　mit　her；　oh；　Himmel；　nein！〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　in　pursuance　of　this　policy　sat　with　his　back　turned　to　her　while　the　shadows　of　evening　gradually　filled　the　room。　　In　vain　did　she　address　him：　he　neither　answered　nor　moved。　　Indeed；　to　discourage　her　still　further；　he　even　summoned　up　a　forced　gaiety　of　demeanor；　and　in　a　low　rumble　of　discords　sang　to　himself　the　least　respectable　songs　he　knew。

〃His　mind　is　certainly　deranged；〃　thought　the　Countess。　　〃I　must　not　let　him　out　of　my　sight。　　Ah；　poor　Alicia！〃

But　in　time；　when　the　dusk　was　thickening　so　fast　that　her　son…in…law's　broad　back　had　already　grown　indistinct　of　outline；　and　no　voice　or　footstep　had　come　near　their　prison；　her　thoughts　began　to　wander　from　his　case　to　her　own。　　The　outrageous　conduct　of　those　Americans　in　discrediting　her　word　and　incarcerating　her　person；　though　overshadowed　at　the　time　by　the　yet　greater　atrocity　of　the　Baron's　behavior；　now　loomed　up　in　formidable　proportions。　　And　the　gravity　of　their　offence　was　emphasized　by　an　unpleasant　sensation　she　now　began　to　experience　with　considerable　acuteness。

〃Do　they　mean　to　starve　us　as　well　as　insult　us？〃　she　wondered。

The　Baron's　thoughts　also　seemed　to　have　drifted　into　a　different　channel。　　He　no　longer　sang；　he　fidgeted　in　his　chair；　he　even　softly　groaned；　and　at　last　he　actually　changed　his　attitude　so　far　as　to　survey　the　dim　form　of　his　mother…in…law　over　one　shoulder。

〃Oh；　ze　devil！〃　he　exclaimed　aloud。　　〃I　am　so　hongry！〃

〃That　is　no　reason　why　you　should　also　be　profane；〃　said　the　Countess　severely。

〃I　did　not　speak　to　you；〃　retorted　the　Baron；　and　again　a　constrained　silence　fell　on　the　room。

The　Baron　was　the　first　to　break　it。

〃Ha！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　hear　a　step。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　exclaimed　the　Countess　devoutly。

In　the　blaze　of　a　stable　lantern　there　entered　to　them　Dugald　M'Culloch；　jailor。

〃Will　you　be　for　any　supper？〃　he　inquired；　with　a　politeness　he　felt　due　to　prisoners　with　purses。

〃I　do　starve！〃　replied　the　Baron。

〃And　I　am　nearly　fainting！〃　cried　the　Countess。

Both　rose　with　an　alacrity　astonishing　in　people　so　nearly　exhausted；　and　made　as　though　they　would　pass　out。　　With　a　deprecatory　gesture　Dugald　arrested　them。

〃I　will　bring　your　supper　fery　soon；〃　said　he。

〃Here？〃　gasped　the　Countess。

〃It　is　the　master's　orders。〃

〃Tell　him　I　vill　have　him　ponished　mit　ze　law；　if　he　does　not　let　me　come　out！〃　roared　the　Baron。

Their　jailor　was　courtesy　itself；　but　it　was　in　their　pris